adminZIMBABWE national sevens rugby team players as well as those aspiring to make into the Cheetahs squad will start training in Bulawayo and Harare tomorrow.
Cheetahs coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba said the outings will be part of their preparations for the local Summer Series, a build up to the Africa Cup in November, and the International Rugby Board World Sevens Series South Africa leg in Port Elizabeth at the beginning of December.
If Zimbabwe manages a top two finish in the Africa Cup they will qualify for the IRB Sevens core status qualifier in Hong Kong in March next year. The players will participate in the Zimbabwe International Sevens before the trip to Hong Kong.
Nyamutsamba invited all players including those aspiring to don the Cheetahs jersey for both training sessions.
Bulawayo-based players will train at Hartsfield Rugby Ground under the watchful eye of Nyamutsamba, Ruben Kumpasa and George Mukorera while their Harare counterparts will converge on Harare Sports Club under the watchful eyes of Zimbabwe Rugby Union technical director Liam Middleton, Basil Dingiswayo, John Ewing and Daniel Hondo.
“We are going to have training sessions in Bulawayo and Harare on Mondays and Wednesdays. These sessions are not limited; anyone with ambitions of playing for the Cheetahs is free to attend. We are preparing for the local Summer Series, Africa Cup, Port Elizabeth Sevens, Zimbabwe International Sevens and Hong Kong. We want as many players to choose from,’’ said Nyamutsamba.
The Cheetahs will not get a chance to warm up for the season with tournaments within the region following the scrapping of the annual Middelburg Sevens in South Africa and the Safaricom Sevens in Kenya.
With the 2014-15 IRB Sevens World Series set to start next month, Nyamutsamba said his plan is to put the team in a good position to qualify for core membership status which comes with huge benefits such as participating in all the nine tournaments in the circuit.
The Jacques Leitao- led Cheetahs missed out a glorious opportunity to become an IRB core member when they lost 17-12 to Italy at the quarter-final stage of the qualifiers in March this year.
Nyamutsamba called on all stakeholders to work together for the success of the Cheetahs.
Last season was characterised by in fighting which saw Nyamutsamba miss the Port Elizabeth Sevens as well as the Hong Kong qualifiers as there was no clarity on who was in charge between him and Middleton. ZRU president John Falkenberg has come out in full support of Nyamutsamba as the Cheetahs coach even describing the Bulawayo based businessman as the best sevens rugby coach the country has.
With an assurance from the ZRU that he was the man in charge, Nyamutsamba is looking forward to a fruitful season in the sun.
Online Reporter